After almost six weeks of counts, recounts and fraud investigations,Afghans now know who will proceed to a second round in the country’s long-winded process to replace President Hamid Karzai.

Abdullah Abdullah, a former foreign minister, who claimed 45 per cent of first-round votes will face Ashraf Ghani [Ahmadzai], a former finance minister, whose energetic campaign and social media nous propelled him to 31.6 per cent, on June 14.

Both have promised to sign a much-delayed deal to allow American troops to stay in the country beyond the end of the year and stood on similar, ideology-free platforms.

So far the election has been a victory for the supporters of democracy around the globe. These are the reasons:

People of Afghanistan showed a proverbial middle finger to the Taliban and other Islamist groups trying to stop these elections from happening, turn out was high, and among women too.

This is the first time in recent history that the president in power is leaving power and handing it to a new person with no violence and in a democratic fashion.

The security forces and the NATO managed to keep violence at a minimum.

There were few complaints, both candidates ultimately accepted the results, so not perfect, but progress.

The candidate of the current administration didn’t even go to the second round, both remaining candidates were among the opposition, so no Putin/Medvedev shenanigans, a good news.

And best of all: the Islamist candidates placed at 4th and 6th, garnering only 9% of the votes put together. Suck on that, political Islam.

A very good day for Afghanistan, and I wish the best for Afghan people.